Anemic ventilated seats

[Surfnturf]

Just received my Lariat LR and the first thing I noticed was how weak/non-existent the airflow is from the ventilated seats. It was a super hot day and I was really looking forward to being cooled down similar to the way my Pacifica ventilated seats cool me down... but I could barely feel them. The Pacifica's seats are many times more effective. I notice when I lay back in the seat I "plug up" the airflow for the entire upright portion of the seat. Like you can hear the airflow from the seat pores but once I sit back it goes dead silent. Similar to putting your palm over a vacuum cleaner hose where it just stops all air flow completely. Even if I turn it up on the higher setting all it does is get incredibly loud under the seat and on the seat area but still I feel nothing on my entire back because the airflow is totally blocked.

I can't help but think the system is somehow defective but the passenger seat performs the same. Anyone know of a fix or are they designed to be largely ineffective? I'm bummed because I'm a sweaty guy living in a year long hot climate and I really depend on cooled seats. Of all the vehicles I've owned (Lexus, Volvo, Chrysler) this is by far the worst I've experienced. Hoping there's a fix or a way to make them more effective. I noticed the seat bolsters aren't perforated and other F150 seats I've seen do have perforations in the bolsters. Maybe this faulty design is making the airflow ineffective?

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[MacMike]

Different strokes for different folks but my seat has been working fine for me and fine in the Mach-E. I'm in Texas so only need them for 9 months out of the year.These are my first ventilation seats so can't compare to other brands. Hope you find a solution.

 

[Lime Green]

Ford typically has some of the best, If not the best, ventilated/ cooled seats in the industry. The ones in my Expedition will chill you nicely. Practically five you frostbite on your taint. They’re awesome. Hopefully they didn’t nerf them for the Lightning. I’d get yours checked if you think they’re weak.

 

[petemill]

They're as equally ineffective in the Lightning as they are in the ICE F-150. I basically have to be naked to feel any airflow.

 

[metroshot]

Mine set at high (max) ventilation gives the most air but a lot of fan noise accompanies it.

I set mine on medium 24/7 as I need the cooling air due to living in the hot desert southwest...

With the A/C on, it gets quite cool and with the A/C off, it still provides enough air flow to prevent stick backs and butts...

 

[Surfnturf]

They're as equally ineffective in the Lightning as they are in the ICE F-150. I basically have to be naked to feel any airflow.

I feel exactly the same. Doing some googling I found that Ford made some poor engineering choices to the seat cooling design in the 2015+ vehicles. Basically all the air just blows around on the seat bottom and doesn't actually blow up to the seat back... where I (and presumably most others) need the cooling the most.

There are polls on other Ford sites that confirm just how dramatically ineffective the cooling is compared to earlier Ford models. So this might not just be an issue for our Lightnings.

Some are installing this kit.

https://seatguru.wixsite.com/fordseatfix

Does anyone know if this would work for the 2022 models? I reached out to the manufacturer of the product to see what they say. I would gladly drop $180+shipping if this fixes the problem.

 

[Lime Green]

Weird…. My ‘16 F-350 (king ranch) and ‘18 Expedition Max (Limited) both heat and cool up the back and get very cold. The Expedition is noticeably better in how high it goes up the back, but both move lots of air and it comes out just as cold as any of the AC vents.

I may have to go test drive a Lightning Lariat and see what’s up. I got the quick demo ride when Ford was touring the trucks around and since then I’ve sat in a Platinum that I went to see to confirm to myself that it wasn’t worth the extra cost…

 

[Lime Green]

You guys do know that unlike the heated seats, the cooling is tied to your AC, right? If you want to chill the underside of your nutsack, that usually requires seat cooling on the highest of 3 settings and AC on max…

 

[Pioneer74]

I feel exactly the same. Doing some googling I found that Ford made some poor engineering choices to the seat cooling design in the 2015+ vehicles. Basically all the air just blows around on the seat bottom and doesn't actually blow up to the seat back... where I (and presumably most others) need the cooling the most.

There are polls on other Ford sites that confirm just how dramatically ineffective the cooling is compared to earlier Ford models. So this might not just be an issue for our Lightnings.

Some are installing this kit.

https://seatguru.wixsite.com/fordseatfix

Does anyone know if this would work for the 2022 models? I reached out to the manufacturer of the product to see what they say. I would gladly drop $180+shipping if this fixes the problem.

They changed the way the seat vents for 2019. That won't work.

For what it’s worth, I had a 2018 and a 2021 and this design works a lot better than the old system did.

 

[nanohead]

You guys do know that unlike the heated seats, the cooling is tied to your AC, right? If you want to chill the underside of your nutsack, that usually requires seat cooling on the highest of 3 settings and AC on max…

Not true AFAIK. These car have ventilated seats, as have all F150s since 2018 I believe.

If the air is sucked, thats ventilated. If the air is blown out of the perforations, thats cooled.

 

[lakeguy55]

My 2011 ICE F-150 made your backside feel like it was in the New England Atlantic in early May. Worked great! But as an earllier post indiciated, perhaps more poorly designed after 2015

 

[Zprime29]

You guys do know that unlike the heated seats, the cooling is tied to your AC, right? If you want to chill the underside of your nutsack, that usually requires seat cooling on the highest of 3 settings and AC on max…

They are? I watched a video where I guy assessed the ventilated seats in his mustang (I forget the year but it looked pretty new) and it was using a Peltier thermoelectric device for heating/cooling.

 

[petemill]

You guys do know that unlike the heated seats, the cooling is tied to your AC, right? If you want to chill the underside of your nutsack, that usually requires seat cooling on the highest of 3 settings and AC on max…

This is incorrect. There are no connections to the AC system. The seats have no ducted connections to the vehicle at all. The seats are only connected to the vehicle with an electrical connector (and 4 bolts).

 

[Lime Green]

They are? I watched a video where I guy assessed the ventilated seats in his mustang (I forget the year but it looked pretty new) and it was using a Peltier thermoelectric device for heating/cooling.

That’s how they work in my F350. If I want max airflow from the seat I have to crank the AC as well. My Expedition doesn’t seem as connected that way so it’s probably not. But it moves quite a bit if air through the seats.

Not sure why people are saying the seat cooling got worse since 2015 or so. We own several Fords with cooled seats from 2014 onward and the newer ones are noticeably better.

As for cooled vs ventilated, I’ve never owned a Ford that had just ventilated seats without blowing out cold air. So I was assuming that’s what was coming in the Lightning, but perhaps not. If they’re weak ventilated seats that just move a little bit of air, that’s seriously disappointing.

 

[Zprime29]

Agreed, the cooling aspect is a selling point for the Mrs. Really hoping it's good. Still waiting for my dealer to get a demo vehicle.

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